Biography of Judge N. R. LinsdayHoward County, IN Biographies

JUDGE N. R. LINSDAY was born March 4, 1815, in Onondaga County, N. Y., and when but four years old, his parents
moved to Lawrenceburg, Ind., and one year later his father settled on Government land in Madison County, where
he lived until his death in 1823. His mother then settled in Dearborn County, where she reared her family of six
children. Judge Linsday, when but twelve years old, went to Madison County and lived with his grandfather, Nathaniel
Richmond, an old Revolutionary soldier and pensioner. Here Mr. Linsday worked on the farm in the summer and went
to school during the winter until he was eighteen years of age. In 1833, he learned the plasterer's trade, and
worked at this and farming a number of years. March 10, 1836, he was married to Miss Rachel Shaul, daughter of
Aaron and Anne Shaul, of Madison County, Ind. In 1839, Mr. Linsday was elected Justice of the Peace of Fall Creek
Township, Madison County, which office he held until 1843, when he resigned, and accepted the nomination, by the
Whig party for Representative of Madison County, but was defeated by the Democratic candidate in a Democratic county.
During these last years, he had studied law and taught a few terms of school. In 1842, he purchased his first law
books, four volumes of Blackstone. In the fall of 1844, he came to this county on horseback, and while here attended
the first court of Howard County, held six miles west of Kokomo, at the residence of Thomas H. Harrison. Long and
Ervin were the Judges. He returned home, but soon came back in company with Dr. Richmond and Dr. James Barrett.
They purchased a few lots in Kokomo and built three log cabins, finishing them on the last day of December. The
following May, Mr. Linsday moved his family to Kokomo. He wrote the first deed ever given east of the boundary
line. In 1845, he opened a law office, and in the May term of court, he acquitted himself well, winning for himself
a wide reputation. He gained each suit in his first court, and soon became the leading lawyer of Howard County.
After the county was surveyed, he preempted 130 acres of land, which now forms a part of the city of Kokomo, In
1851, he was elected by the Whig party. as Representative of Howard and Tipton Counties, and served in the first
session six months, under the present constitution. In 1852, he was nominated for Senator from Howard, Cass and
Pulaski Counties, but was defeated. In 1856, he was elected by the Republican party as Circuit Judge of Howard,
Tipton and Hamilton Counties, and was reelected in 1864, but soon after resigned. His wife, Rachel, died in 1856,
having been the mother of eight children, four of whom are still living - Lovisa E., widow of Col. Thomas Harrison;
Martha C., wife of Moses Childs, of Kokomo; Harry A., now a soldier in the regular army at Washington, having served
three years in the late war; and Electa E., wife of Thomas A. Deland. In December, 1856, Mr. Linsday was married
to Mrs. Julia A. Foudray, of Indianapolis, Ind. She died in 1869, and January 2, 1876, Mr. L. was married to his
present wife, Mrs. Malvine F. Fowler, of Kokomo. Mr. L. practiced law until 1880, when he was elected to the State
Legislature by the Republican party. He introduced fourteen bills before the House, eleven of which became laws.
Mr. L. is now living west of the city, on forty acres of land, having retired from business.